Opinion: Reduce stigma by addressing mental health

By Keith HochadelSpecial to The Canton Repository

Sunday

May 6, 2018 at 5:40 AM

May is Mental Health Month, and CommQuest Services would like to recognize those who have sought help, encourage those who are thinking about getting help and empower our community to offer hope and support to family, friends and neighbors who might be suffering in silence.

Mental illness affects nearly 1 in 5 Americans. For those fraught with mental illness, it takes courage to admit they are mentally and emotionally struggling and even greater courage to seek help. In a world where we are more connected than ever before, those dealing with mental illness continue to live in isolation and loneliness.

The problem isn't about being connected to one another; the problem is stigma.

Stigma might seem to some like an overused cliché, but the reality is that for so many, stigma is a daily battle. It creates an environment of shame, fear and silence that prevents individuals from seeking help and treatment. In many ways, the society we live in feeds this stigmatization. Attitudes toward those struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma and especially such conditions as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder still are driven by images either sensationalized or villainized through mainstream and social media. As a result, individuals struggling with mental illness are often seen as dangerous or threatening.

Lack of understanding that mental illness is a brain disease — the same as asthma is a lung disease — led to early treatments that were limited, ill-informed and brutal. Since the days of "warehousing" mentally ill patients at facilities like the old Massillon State Hospital, mental health treatment has changed for the better.

Today, modern medicine has led to an increased understanding of mental illness, resulting in evidence-based treatments that prove recovery is possible. Therapies based on mindfulness, skill building and behavioral change provided in individual, group and peer-based settings are helping people live fulfilling lives.

Take, for example, CommQuest's Supported Employment program. It helps people recovering from mental illness learn the job skills necessary to obtain and maintain a job. In the last year alone, our organization has placed 115 individuals with competitive employment. This program benefits not only employees, but also employers, who value the dependability and skills of the workers with whom we connect them.

While modern medicine and greater understanding of effective treatment methods have opened doors to recovery and living well, stigma continues to act as a significant barrier, particularly for our young people. Stigma plays a significant role in preventing adolescents from expressing their feelings or reaching out for help. Fear of social exclusion and being treated differently drives teens toward secrecy and avoidance and only perpetuates mental illness.

For example, a recent study published in Psychology Today found that stigma directed at adolescents with mental health problems came from family members, peers and teachers. Forty-six percent of these adolescents described experiencing stigmatization in the form of unwarranted assumptions, distrust, avoidance, pity and gossip. No doubt that an attitude such as this would dissuade anyone, particularly a young person, from acknowledging they need help or seeking support from the very people they should trust. At a time when our school districts have been devastated by suicide and communities have been left wondering how to heal, the simple steps of reducing stigma can truly make a difference.

Take some time to educate yourself about mental illness, become aware of your prejudices, but most importantly reach out to offer acceptance and reassurance to our children, family, friends, co-workers and neighbors.

At CommQuest, we support those individuals who have come forward and received help. We appreciate those families who have been encouraging and accepting. We thank those employers who have said yes when others have said no.

During May, we bring attention to the importance of mental health, but the importance of mental health is a year-round commitment. So today, and every day, I invite you to do your part to #curestigma.

Keith Hochadel is president and CEO of CommQuest Services. CommQuest is based in Canton, serving more than 20,000 Northeast Ohio residents per year through addiction, mental health and social service programs.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.